Vehicle-wheel.



. URRAY.

EL. APPMCA ILE Y 23. 1915.

PatenteaAug. 17, 1915.

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THOMAS MURRAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

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Specification ci Letters Eatent. l

Patented Aug. 17, it.

Application filed May 28, 1915. Serial No. 30,935.

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in VehiclelVheels, of which the following is a specification. y

The invention relates to vehicle wheels of metal, and has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction. l

The` end of each spoke abuts against the tubular portion of an inner junction piece, integral with which are two parallel flat plates in the shape of wedge frusta, having at their smaller bases concave outwardly turned flanges. The innerl junction piece and the jointbetween the same and the spoke endA is covered by an outer junction piece of like form, with registering inclined edges, and-seated on said flanges. The inclined. edges of the junction pieces on the several spokes are united to form an annular nave, which vis received upon a tubular hub.

In ,the accompanying drawings Figure 1 isl aface view of my wheel, the outer portions of 'the spokes shown being. broken' away and the rim omitted, and the inner portion of one spoke with its junction pieces being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a. perspective view of the covering or outer junction piece. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner junction piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

To each tubular spoke I are' attached two members-hereinafter designated as the inner junction piece and' the outer junction piece. The inner junction piece is preferably formed in two similar parts A, B, united on the line C and shaped asshown in Fig. 4. The part A comprises'a flat plate in the `form of a wedge frustum, the inclined side edges D of which meet at the smaller base an arc-shaped outwardly turned flange E. The part B comprises a similar lat plate, the inclined side edges F of which meet an arc-shaped outwardly turned flange G. The larger bases of said plates are integral with a tubular portion H which `at its end is of the same diameter as the tu endof the 'spoke abuts against and is welded to the end of the tubular portion H. The angle of inclination of the' side edges F is the same as that ci the side edges D. The length of theat plate oi' part B is less than the length of the flat plate of part A.

The outer junction piece may be formed in two parts jointed in the sameway as the inner' junction piece described, or it may be made integrally in one piece, as shown in Fig. 3. This comprises two lat plates J, K, also in the form of wedgev frusta. The side edges L meet the smaller base M, which is concave and shaped in a circular arc. The two flat platesa'; their larger bases are integral with a tubular portion N. The constructive relation of the outer junction pieceto the inner junction piece is to be such that when the outer piecev is placed over the inner piece, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the inclined side edges of the plates ci' one piece will register with the inclined side edges of the plates of the other piece, and the arcshaped smaller base M of the outer piece will fit upon the iianges E of the inrer'piece. The tubular portion N of the outer piece, however, is to be long enough to extend over the circular upper edge of the inner piece, so that when the spoke is welded, as described, to said circular upper edge, the tubular portion N will cover the welded joint. The outer junction piece is preferably spotwelded to both spoke and inner piece, so that when thespoke and the two junction pieces are assembled, they form a 'rigid structure.

The tubular hub 0 at its inner end may be yenlarged in diameter, as'shcwn at F, and this enlarged portion is preferablynot less in width than the iiange rilhe spokes are assembled in forming the wheel by welding the inclined edges of the junction pieces attached to one spoke to the similar inclined edges of the junction pieces of the adjacent spokes, thus forming an annular nave, the joints between `said junction pieces then lying in radii of a circle struck around the axle center. When the hub is'insertcd in the circular space bounded by the flanges E, G, the flanges G meet the enlarged portion I of the hub and the Hanges E meet lthe body portion Lof the hub, as shown in Fig. 2, and said flanges'are welded to said hub,"thus completing the wheel structure. Ball-bearing runways Q and R may be inserted in each end of the hub to receive the axle S, and a cover T may be provided for the outer end of said hub.

I claim:

l. The combination of (1)'a spoke, (2) a member formed with a tubular portion an two parallel fiat plates in Wedge frusta shape united to said tubular portion at their iai-ger bases and provided with concave arc shaped anges at their smaller bases, and (3) a second member of form corresponding tc said first member: the said tirst member being seated within said second member, the said spoke at its inner end abutting f upon the end ci the tubular portion of said rst member, and the tubular portion of said second member inclosing the joint at said abutment: and the said parts being homogeneously united.

2. A metal vehicle Wheel, comprising (l) a plurality oi' spokes, and in combination with each spoke (2) a member formed with a tubular portion and two parallel {iat plates in Wedge frusta shape united to said tubular portion at their larger bases and in said second member, the said spoke at itsinner end abutting upon the end of the tubular portion of said first member, and the tubular'portion of said second member inclos'" ing the joint at said abutment: the said members on each spoke being placed with their inclined edges in contact with the inclined edges of the corresponding members of the next adjacent spokes to form unitedly an annular nave: and the said parts being homogeneously united.

n testimony` whereof Ihave afiiXed my signature in presenceoil two Witnesses.

THOMAS E. MURRAY.

Vitnesses Gnnrnnnn T. PORTER, MAY T. MCGARRY zaV 

